 | |
| Alternative names | Ragi sangati, ragi kali, baadi |
|---|---|
| Course | Lunch or dinner |
| Place of origin | India |
| Region or state | Karnataka,Andhra and Telangana,Tamil Nadu |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Finger millet |
| Variations | Akki tari mudde (coarse rice flour), jorwar millet mudde |
Ragi mudde,ragi sangati orkali, colloquially simply referred to as eithermudde orhittu which means 'lump' or 'dough', is afinger milletswallow dish of India in the state ofKarnataka andAndhra Pradesh (Rayalaseema region).[1] InTamil Nadu, especially in western Tamil Nadu, it is also calledragi kali.Ragi mudde is the main food inMysuru,Mandya,Ramanagara,Chamarajanagar,Hassan,Tumakuru,Bengaluru Rural districts in Karnataka andRayalaseema Region in Andhra Pradesh. A similar variation known asdhindo is also eaten in Northeast India, Nepal and Bhutan. InUttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in northern India, a similar variation is known asbaadi andbaari respectively.[2]
Ragi mudde[3] has only two ingredients:ragi (finger millet) flour, and water. A tablespoon ofragi flour is first mixed with water to make a very thin paste and later added to a thick-bottomed vessel containing water on a stove top. As this mixture boils and reaches the brim of the vessel,ragi flour is added, which forms a mound on top of boiling water. Once theragi flour is added, it requires immediate mixing (to avoid lumps) with the help of a wooden stick (Kannada:ಮುದ್ದೆ ಕೋಲು:mudde kolu/Kannada:ಹಿಟ್ಟಿನ ದೊಣ್ಣೆ:hiṭṭin doṇṇe); the flour is beaten to a smooth dough-like consistency with no lumps. Then it is allowed to cook on medium-high flame. This hot dough is then rested on low heat before being rounded on a wooden board into tennis-ball-sized balls with wet hands. Thus preparedragi balls are broken down into smaller balls using fingers and dipped intosaaru (Kannada:ಸಾರು)/hesru (Kannada:ಹೆಸ್ರು),chutney orgojju.Ragi is not supposed to be chewed.
Mudde, by itself, does not have a strong taste.Ragi mudde is traditionally eaten withsaaru (made of greens with sprouted grams [wholepulses], meat or vegetables), but can also be eaten withyogurt orbuttermilk. Thesaaru is often flavoured by mixing a dash of spicy, freshly ground green-chilli paste (Kannada:ಖಾರ,khaara), in one's plate according to taste.Ragi mudde-bassaru is a popular combination among the farming communities inKarnataka.Bassaru is made from the decanted water that remains after an assortment of pulses are steamed, usually along with a couple of pods of garlic. This water takes up the earthy flavour of the pulses to nicely complement the earthy flavour of themudde itself. Onions, red chillies, and some garlic are browned and then ground into a paste along with grated coconut. This is added to the water, and the mixture is finally seasoned withoggarane.[4] The steamed pulses themselves are often used to prepare a dry side salad known aspalya (Kannada:ಪಲ್ಯ).
There are numerous variations ofbassaru, which each yield a differently named (usually, eponymous with the major ingredient)saaru.Bassaru is itself a portmanteau ofbas(tira) (Kannada:ಬಸ್ತಿರ) ('steamed') andsaaru.Uppesru (Kannada:ಉಪ್ಪೆಸ್ರು)/uppsaaru (Kannada:ಉಪ್ಪ್ಸಾರು) is another common accompaniment tomudde. This is often simply a stew comprising steamedhorsegram, as well as the water used to steam it, with added salt. Sometimes, hyacinth beans (Kannada:ಅವರೇಕಾಳುavarekaaḷu) replace the horsegram. The horsegram version is also known ashurḷi saaru (Kannada:ಹುರಳಿ ಸಾರು).
Ragi mudde is rich in the same nutrients that are found infinger millet, namely fibre, calcium, and iron.
Ragi mudde is consumed with the famousKarnataka-styleupsaaru [Also known as "Sappneeru", a portmanteau ofsappe meaning bland andneeru meaning water],bassaaru ornati koli saaru (chicken curry) ormenthyada gojju (sweet and sour dish made offenugreek andtamarind). In most of southern Karnataka/oldMysore it is eaten almost daily. Many luxury hotels serveragi mudde on special occasions. In the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, it is eaten with pappu and chatnee.Ragi sankati is also a main food in Anantapur district. It is served in almost all hotels in Anantapur district.